KSLU-TV Will Be On The Air Soon

The KSLU-TV station is located in the lower level of the BMC, across the hall from where the radio station broadcasts. Right now the station works very closely with the radio station. But soon KSLU-TV may be on its own.

Kicking off on Monday will be a segment called the Coaches Hour, where coaches from fall sports teams will come to the station and answer questions.

Also planned for next week are two other segments. They are the Urban Couch which aired a few times last year and a Potpourri segment. The Urban Couch is an MTV style music video show.

Tricia Fechter works on obtaining all the videos by contacting record labels. She also logs all videos from this segment.

The Potpourri will be a variety of shows such as skits, tours and game shows. “We encourage all student organizations to use the Potpourri segment. It is open to everyone, even if the group just does a short commercial,” said Brian Suda general manager of KSLU.

Currently several people including Suda, Fechter, Dave Kaiser and Mike Tague are trying to get two separate charters for KSLU-separating the radio station from the TV station.

Suda said two reasons that separate charters are needed are for funding and for better organization. The charter will include a budget, the outline for the executive board and organize who does what.

“It’s really tough to manage the TV station because of all the equipment being so new and expensive, plus it takes a lot of knowledge of the equipment for it to be used properly,” Suda said.

KSLU-TV branching out would also mean getting an advisor.

“Hopefully we will get an advisor in the communications field, someone who can help teach us about the equipment and help us out in that area,” Suda said.

“We would like to have different people produce and direct each segment,” Suda said.

Even if the TV station gets a charter it will still have to work closely with the radio station because they will share time on channel 12.

“There is a switch in the radio station that has to be flipped in order for us to air. So, working closely together with the radio station on scheduling will be very important,” Kaiser said.

Some upperclassmen may remember the University Broadcasting Network.

UBN dissolved about two years ago when the person who was running it graduated. KSLU-TV is using the room and some of the same equipment, that UBN used. They also had to buy some new equipment.

“We had to do some rewiring, fix and purchase some equipment, but the studio is ready to broadcast now. All we need is people interested in doing some shows and we can really get rolling,” Tague said.

The goals of KSLU-TV are to have more funding, more shows, more organization, more people and more knowledge of broadcasting.

Both Kaiser and Tague said that being involved in KSLU-TV and watching it progress has been a wonderful experience.

“I would love to see KSLU-TV take off. It would be wonderful if it were a recognized name on campus because of student interest,” Fetcher said.